Parental Consent for Blood Transfusions

Before your child receives a blood transfusion, you’ll be asked to give your permission. Ask questions to help ease any worries that you may have. Make sure you understand your child’s disease or medical condition, why he needs the blood, and what will happen if you don’t allow the transfusion. Sometimes there may be other options instead of a transfusion. Be sure to discuss the benefits and risks of blood transfusions and how those risks can be kept as low as possible. If necessary, talk to a blood transfusion specialist who can answer all of your questions. This is often a clinical pathologist affiliated with a hospital blood bank.